Electrical plug



E. P. BRUS ELECTRICAL PLUG Filed July 50, 1941 INV ENTOR.

Patented Dec. 28, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical plugs for interconnecting conductors and the primary object is the provision of a plug that is relatively small, light, durable in nature yet capable of serving as a replacement because of the unique nature of the structure thereof.

One of the important objects of the instant invention is to provide an electrical plug, the body of which is formed of flexible material and the blades thereof are equipped with screws or analogous means for securing conductors in place, which blades are disposed to allow easy access to the inner ends thereof when the'specially positioned slits of the body are drawn open.

A yet further aim of this invention is to provide an electrical plug ofthe aforementioned character wherein the flexible body thereof is equipped with a pair of diametrically opposed slits normally covered by a clamp, the nature whereof is such as to secure the portions of the plug body together and thereby avoid accidental opening of the slits duringnormal use.

A still further aim of this invention is to provide a small compact rubber plug that is cupshaped and slit inwardly from the free edges thereof along diametrically opposed lines to afford access to screws or the like on the inner ends of the blades, which slits are covered and protected ,by a specially designed U-shaped clamp, the bight thereof having a hole therein to circumscribe a neck at the mouth of the body, said clamp having means for interlocking with the body to prevent accidental displacement.

Other objects of the invention will appear during the course of the followingspecication referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an electrical lplug made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an edge elevational view of the plug with the clamp forming a part thereof in its operative position.

Fig. 3 is a similarview but with the clamp removed to reveal the exact position of one of the slits and the cavity provided to accommodate a portion of the clamp.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central sectional view through the plug taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional viewthrough the same taken on line V-V of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an edge elevational view showing the legs created by the slits spread to permit access to lower ends of the blades.

Fig. '1 is a perspective View of the clamp entirely removed from its operative position, and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional View through a portion of an electrical plug made in accordance with the modified form of the invention.

The'trade has demanded a small exible plug for use in forming a connection between the ends of electrical conductors and appliances, receptacles or other means to complete an operativecircuit and heretofore such plugs have been molded of rubber or the like and the blades assembled therewith in 'a manner precluding replacement or reattaching the ends of the conductors to the said blades if breakage should occur.

This invention contemplates in its broadest aspect, the provision of a small plug having physical characteristics very similar to those now known in the art but having means whereby re-f placement might occur and permitting 'access to the inner ends of the two blades in order that the conductors or wires may be attached thereto by those unskilled in the art. By virtue of the structure about to be described one using the plug made in accordance with my invention might repair the same when the connection between conductor and plug blades becomes broken.

In the drawing like reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views and the character I0 broadly designates a body of the plug that is cup-shaped and molded or otherwise created from flexible material. This cup-shaped body I0 has an end wall I2 through which pass openings I4 for the reception of blades I6 in a manner to be more fully hereinafter set down. Cup-shaped body I 2 terminates at its open end in a neck I8 of restricted diameter through which conductors 20 may pass to be joined to blades I6 by screws or analogous elements 22. The opening through neck I8 is in direct communication with chamber 24 within body I0 and this chamber is partially divided into two portions by a partition 26. As illustrated in Fig. 4, a blade I6 passes through each opening I4 respectively and lies adjacent to each of two opposite sides of partition 26. This partition 26 has cavities 28 provided therein for the reception of the inner ends of screws 22 and when conductors 20 are attached to blades I6 as illustrated, no lateral or longitudinal movement of the blades can occur. Body I0 is slit inwardly from the mouth thereof along diametrically opposed lines and each slit 30 extends to a point at the inner face of end wall I2 to set ol a pair of legs 32 that might be spread apart as shown in Fig. 6 to aiord access to screws 22. These slits 30 are in a plane substantially perpendicular to the planes of the blades I6 and both screws 22 have their axes in the same plane as slits 88.

A cavity 3d spaced from the inner ends of each slit 38 is in communication with a larger formed cavity or depression 36 that extends toward neck I8 from cavity 34 to receive a specially designed U-sheped clamp generally designated by the nuthe legs 48 of clamp 38 snugly against the outer surface of the body at the bottom of cavities 36 and the annular shoulder 48 at the zone of connection between neck I8 and the slitted side walls of body I8 is in snug engagement with the inner face of bight 44. Clamp 38 is slightly resilient so that its inherent quality will maintain all of its component parts in operative position with body I8. When a conductor 28 breaks, the same may be reattached to its appropriate blade, I6 by merely removing clamp 38, drawing legs 32 apart as shown in Fig. 6 and realxing the conductor 28 to the blade by manipulating screw 22. Partition 26 insures that the conductors 28 and inner portions of blades I6 will not come into electrical engagement to create an undesirable condition.

The modified form of the invention in Fig. 8 is not greatly different from the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to '7 inclusive. The only difference between this illustrated embodiment of the plug and those previously described lies in the use of a specially created blade |88 of the female type whereby blades may be received between the two Walls of blade |88 and an electrical connection thereby made. When blade |88, like that shown in Fig. 8, is used, it is made of a strip of material rebent upon itself to receive a prong or blade between the free ends. The inner end of blade |88 has a screw-threaded opening |82 to receive the same type of screw 22 as seen in Figs. 4 and 6 for example. The resiliency of the material from which body I8 is made is sufficient to permit the opposed parts of blade |88 to spread and receive the blade or prong of a conventional electrical device.

4those shown in the drawing may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention. what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An electrical plug of the character described comprising a cup-shaped body of flexible material having a neck of relatively small diameter at the mouth thereof and at least two openings formed in the bottom thereof; electrica conductors; blades each having a portion there f within the body and extending through the openings respectively; and means at the inner end of each blade for securing the conductors thereto after the same have passed through the neck into the body, said body being slit inwardly along each side thereof from the mouth to a point between the inner ends of the blades and the bottom of the body to Provide separable legs, the said slits being substantially diametrically opposite and in a plane perpendicular -to the planes of the blades. and a U-shaped clamp having a hole in the bight thereof for receiving the said neck and hav' ingspaced legs provided with inturned ears, said body having a cavity in opposite sides thereof for receiving the inturned ears and having depressions for receiving the legs of the clamp.

2. In an electrical plug of the character de- 1 scribed, a cup-shaped body of flexible material provided with opposed slits extending inwardly from the mouth thereof to form a pair of legs; a partition projecting into the cup-shaped body from the bottom thereof, between said slits, a blade extending through the bottom wall of the body and along each of two sides respectively of the partition; means on the inner ends of the blades for attaching an electrical conductor thereto, said attaching means being accessible when the portions of the body on each side of the slits are drawn apart by iexing the body and a U-shaped clamp having a hole in the .bight thereof for receiving the end of the legs of the cup-shaped body to prevent spreading of the legs, said clamp having flat legs overlying substantially the full length of the said slits.

3. An electrical plug of the character described comprising a cup shaped body yof flexible material, a partition in said body, blades extending from one end into the body to either side of said partition, conductors extending from the opposite end into the body, means for securing the conductors to said blades, saidbody being slit to form separable legs for providing access to said securing means, and a removable clamp for holding said legs against separation, said clam having legs for covering said slit, said body met ber having depressions corresponding in sha and depth to the shape and thickness of thei clamp legs for receiving said last named legs.

EMILE P. BRUS. 

